Southeastern Connecticut projects earn Bond Commission approval

Hartford — The State Bond Commission allocated $168 million in general obligation bonds and $81 million in revenue bonds and other transactions on Friday.

Bonds were allocated for repairs to shoreline facilities, development of facilities at Waterford-based Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Theatre Institute and completion of dredging studies for the Eastern Long Island Sound disposal site. Bonds were also allocated for the Otis Library in Norwich and the Interdistrict School for Arts And Communication in New London.

State Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, thanked Gov. Dannel P. Malloy for supporting the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. "You saw what a fantastic asset this is for the entire state," she said during the commission meeting. They are eager to put the shovel in the ground, she added.

The theater center will receive $3 million for the first phase of facility development as the National Theater Institute expands to include an undergraduate musical theater program.

The commission allocated $1.5 million for repairs to state parks and other recreational facilities. Of that amount, $500,000 was for repairs to shoreline state parks damaged in Superstorm Sandy.

Fort Trumbull State Park in New London is to receive $24,468 for fishing pier repairs, and Bluff Point State Park in Groton is to receive $8,500 for repairing the washed-out gravel parking area. Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme is to receive a total of $119,483, which include repairs to the roof of Ellie Mitchell Pavilion and the boardwalk as well as debris clean-up and disposal.

Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford is to receive a total of $149,705, to include roof and chimney repairs and debris removal.

The commission also allocated $750,000 to the Department of Transportation to complete dredging site disposal studies for eastern Long Island Sound. The project includes data compilation, oceanographic and economic studies. About $1.8 million has already gone toward the study.

The commission allocated $18,516 toward remodeling Otis Library in Norwich. The ISAAC school will receive $1.4 million for debt repayment for capital expenses.